A West Virginia state court notified counsel that it would dismiss the lawsuit brought by coal executive Robert E. Murray and some of his coal companies against the comedian John Oliver and other defendants involved in the production and broadcasting of Oliver’s television show Last Week Tonight. The plaintiffs asserted claims of defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the grounds that the defendants knowingly broadcast in a June 2017 episode malicious statements that they knew to be false based on information provided by the plaintiffs. The court adopted, “with little exception,” the arguments in the defendants’ motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. A spokesperson for the defendants <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/02/26/court-tosses-suit-brought-by-dr-evil-against-oliver/">said</a> they would appeal.

Defamation action brought by coal companies and coal executive for statements made on the television show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Marshall County Coal Co. v. Oliver

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West Virginia Court Dismissed Defamation Suit Against John Oliver Brought by Coal Executive and His Companies

Filed

United States of America

West Virginia

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